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Jo Cox’s husband pays emotional tribute as thousands join him and his kids on what would have been murdered MP’s 42nd birthday

Thousands of people have come together on what would have been Jo Cox's 42nd birthday

MURDERED Jo Cox’s widower Brendan led emotional tributes to her as events took place around the world to celebrate her life on what would have been her 42nd birthday.

Speaking in front of thousands of people in Trafalgar Square Mr Cox told the crowd he had come to say how much the love and support of well-wishers meant to him.

Brendan Cox made an emotional speech in Trafalgar Square to thank everyone for their support since his wife's murder
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Brendan Cox made an emotional speech in Trafalgar Square to thank everyone for their support since his wife's murderCredit: AP

And he said he wanted his two children Cuillin and Lejla how well loved their mother was.

He said: “She just wanted people to be happy and for the world to be a fairer place, that’s where her politics came from.

“When she saw pain she wanted to do all she could to alleviate it.

“Jo lived her life to the full, with a pedal to the floor with missing brake pads.

People hold banners of murdered Labour Party MP Jo Cox, during a special service at Trafalgar Square
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People hold banners of murdered Labour Party MP Jo Cox, during a special service at Trafalgar SquareCredit: Reuters
Thousands of people turned out in Trafalgar Square to show their support for Brendan Cox and his two children
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Thousands of people turned out in Trafalgar Square to show their support for Brendan Cox and his two childrenCredit: PA
The theme of the event "More in Common" was to say we have more in common than what divides us
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The theme of the event "More in Common" was to say we have more in common than what divides usCredit: Getty Images

“She was a mountain climber, a runner, a cyclist, an avid reader, an awful cook, a swimmer, a great exaggerator, a wild food forager, a middle lane driver, a ball of energy and determination, and above all else she was a mum.

“She was the best mum that any child could wish for and wish we do, to have her back in our lives.

“Since Thursday Cuillin, Lejla and I have spoken every day about the things we will miss, the memories we will cherish.

“We try to remember not how cruelly she has been taken from us but how unbelievably lucky we were to have her in our lives for so long.”

Brendan Cox told the crowd their support has been helping him and his family deal with the grief since his wife the Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered
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Brendan Cox told the crowd their support has been helping him and his family deal with the grief since his wife the Labour MP Jo Cox was murderedCredit: PA

Organisers said the events, being held in a variety of locations, are a tribute to Mrs Cox's "love, energy, passion, flair, Yorkshire heritage and belief in the humanity of every person in every place".

The band that played at the couple's wedding, Diddley Dee, performed and a group of the MP's friends formed an honour guard dressed in suffragette-style sashes.

Wearing sashes in the colours of the suffragettes Jo Cox's friends laid floral tributes outside the Houses of Parliament
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Wearing sashes in the colours of the suffragettes Jo Cox's friends laid floral tributes outside the Houses of ParliamentCredit: London News Pictures Ltd

Leaders of multiple faiths laid some 42 white roses, the symbol of Yorkshire, to mark her birthday at the event, hosted by Mrs Cox's friend, Mariella Frostrup.

Giving speeches in memory of the murdered MP were the Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and actors Gillian Anderson and Bill Nighy.

Malala Yousafzai told the crowd having more in common than what separates us was a principle Jo Cox lived by
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Malala Yousafzai told the crowd having more in common than what separates us was a principle Jo Cox lived byCredit: Getty Images
Gillian Anderson read a poem and Bill Nighy read an extract from a speech by Robert Kennedy at the Jo Cox memorial event
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Gillian Anderson read a poem and Bill Nighy read an extract from a speech by Robert Kennedy at the Jo Cox memorial eventCredit: Getty Images

Her life was also commemorated at the Glastonbury Festival this afternoon.

Revellers stopped and held an impromptu two minute silence to pay their respects to the murdered Labour politician.

Events to celebrate the life of murdered MP Jo Cox have been taking place around the world, including at the Glastonbury Festival
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Events to celebrate the life of murdered MP Jo Cox have been taking place around the world, including at the Glastonbury FestivalCredit: SWNS

 

To get to the event in Trafalgar Square Mr Cox and his children led a flotilla of houseboats from the community where they live.

And to commemorate the Yorkshire MP, a boat called the Yorkshire Rose was filled with flowers in memory of her and towed along as part of the flotilla.

Brendan Cox took his children Cuillin and Lejla on a boat down the Thames to attend a memorial event for his wife Jo Cox
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Brendan Cox took his children Cuillin and Lejla on a boat down the Thames to attend a memorial event for his wife Jo CoxCredit: PA

 

 

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The family of Jo Cox made an emotional journey along the Thames, towing a boat full of flowers in her memory

Yorkshire Rose, a boat filled with flowers in memory of murdered Labour Party MP Jo Cox
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Yorkshire Rose, a boat filled with flowers in memory of murdered Labour Party MP Jo CoxCredit: Reuters
Jo Cox's husband Brendan Cox travels with her to central London by boat with their children Lejla, 3, and Cuillin, 5, to attend a special service in Trafalgar Square
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Jo Cox's husband Brendan Cox travels with her to central London by boat with their children Lejla, 3, and Cuillin, 5, to attend a special service in Trafalgar SquareCredit: London News Pictures Ltd
Friends from Jo Cox's houseboat community have joined a flotilla up to Westminster in her memory
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Friends from Jo Cox's houseboat community have joined a flotilla up to Westminster in her memoryCredit: Reuters
Cuillin Cox, the son of murdered MP Jo Cox, arrives by boat to attend a special service at Trafalgar Square in London
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Cuillin Cox, the son of murdered MP Jo Cox, arrives by boat to attend a special service at Trafalgar Square in LondonCredit: Reuters
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Holding his dad's hand Cuillin Cox makes his way to the service to celebrate his mother, the murdered MP Jo Cox who would have been 42 today

Events are taking place all over the world to mark what would have been Jo Cox's 42nd birthday
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Events are taking place all over the world to mark what would have been Jo Cox's 42nd birthdayCredit: Facebook

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A fund created in Cox's memory by her friends and family has raised more than £1.25million for charities close to her heart, following more than 37,500 individual donations.

Mrs Cox was shot and stabbed in the street last Thursday in her Batley and Spen constituency in West Yorkshire, where there will also be a commemoration with her sister Kim Leadbeater.

The murder of Mrs Cox, who was campaigning for Britain to stay in the European Union and was a major advocate for refugee rights, shook the EU referendum campaign and sent shock waves around the world.

The shrine to Jo Cox in Birstall, West Yorkshire, shows how loved she was in the community
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The shrine to Jo Cox in Birstall, West Yorkshire, shows how loved she was in the communityCredit: London News Pictures Ltd
The Joseph Priestly Memorial in the centre of Birstall has become a place where people come and place flowers and take a few minutes to reflect Jo Cox's life
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The Joseph Priestly Memorial in the centre of Birstall has become a place where people come and place flowers and take a few minutes to reflect Jo Cox's life
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The commemorations began less than 18 hours before the polls open in Britain's closely-contested referendum on whether it should stay in the EU or leave.

Widower Brendan Cox, in his first interview since his wife's murder, said he thought she was murdered due to her political beliefs.

"She was a politician and she had very strong political views and I believe she was killed because of those views," he told BBC television.

"I think she died because of them, and she would want to stand up for those in death as much as she did in life."

Mourners come to pay their respects on what would have been Jo Cox's 42nd birthday
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Mourners come to pay their respects on what would have been Jo Cox's 42nd birthdayCredit: London News Pictures Ltd
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'We will celebrate Jo's love, energy, passion, and belief in the humanity of every person, everywhere', Oxfam, West Africa
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He also said she had "worried" about the tone of the EU referendum debate -- "the tone of whipping up fears and whipping up hatred potentially".

Hers was the first murder of a British politician since 1990 when Ian Gow was assassinated by Irish Republican Army paramilitaries.

Thomas Mair, 52, has been charged with Cox's murder.

On his first appearance in court on Saturday, he gave his name as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain".

A psychiatric report was requested.

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